[Elecraft] K3 Transmit Issue on 80M SSB

[Dave Fugleberg]

Thanks to all for your suggestions. Carl's suggestion to run the 5 and 50 W
transmitter gain calibration appears to have solved the issue, although I
have no idea why.

Don, I'm familiar with how much drive the K3 wants from the mic, and have
it set properly for my HC-5 element. The behavior was not erratic - it was
easily repeatable using the steps I described. After running the
calibrations, I can no longer repeat the issue.
The only time I had ever previously run the calibrations was during final
setup after assembling the radio a couple years ago.  Is that something
that one should do periodically, or after each firmware update?

Hank, I did back up my configuration both before and after running the
calibration, so I have that in my back pocket as well.

Again, thanks to all who responded - I'll keep an eye on it and report back
if it reappears.

73 de W0ZF

On Sat, Jan 21, 2017 at 11:11 PM, Don Wilhelm <donwilh at embarqmail.com>
wrote:

> Dave,
>
> This is a classic case with Elecraft transceivers that do not drive the
> audio sufficiently.  Unless you drive the audio as instructed in the
> manual, the power output will be erratic or non-existent.
>
> When you speak into the microphone, do you see 5 to 7 bars on the ALC
> meter?  If not, you do not have adequate audio drive, increase the mic gain
> until that condition is realized.
>
> If you have a Heil HC6 or HC7 mic element, those have very low output
> levels and you may need to go to the MIC Gain High range.
> Note that the high range only applies to the front panel mic jack.  Go to
> the K3 menu for MIC SEL and tap "3" to toggle the setting on/off. The high
> gain mic preamp is indicated by the icon "H'" in the display.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>
> On 1/21/2017 10:20 PM, Dave Fugleberg wrote:
>
>> I seldom operate 80M phone, so don't know if this is a new issue or not.
>> K3
>> S/N 8334 with latest firmware. When I key the transmitter and speak or
>> whistle into the mic, I get no RF output. I can hear myself in the
>> monitor.
>> If I enable VOX, speaking engages the transmitter, but no RF output.
>> Engaging the TUNE function does produce RF output as expected.
>> If I switch the mode to CW and tap the straight key, the radio transmits
>> with expected output. If I THEN switch mode back to LSB, radio functions
>> normally with expected output.
>> Note that all of the above is with radio connected to a dummy load, so my
>> antenna is out of the picture.
>>
>> Once I switch to CW, key the radio, and switch back to LSB as described
>> above, transmit works fine until I power cycle the radio, or adjust the RF
>> Power control (even if I just dial it down a couple watts and then right
>> back to where it was). Either of those two events appears to disable SSB
>> transmit until I 'kick' it by transmitting with CW.
>>
>> As far as I can tell, this behavior is ONLY on 80M. The rig is NOT in
>> 'Test
>> mode', and Xmit Inhibit is turned off in the menu.  All other radio
>> functions and bands seem to work FB.
>>
>